Improvement in pocket-knives



AM. PHOTO-LITRO. C0, NX (DSBURNE'S PROCESS.)

ROYAL B. MILLIKEN, OF SPRINGFIELD, VERMONT.

l Letters Patent No. 61,229, dated January 15, 1867; antedatc' January5, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT 1N rocKET-Kmvrs.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known, that I, RoYAL B. MILLIKEN, of Springfield, in the county ofWindsor, and State of Vermont, have invented a certain new and usefulimprovement, being a Combined Pen or Pocket-Knife and MiniaturePhotograph Case, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings of thesame, which form part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1represents a side view of a pen or pocket-knife with one side of thehandle turned upon its hinge so as to exhibit the photographs. l

Figure 2 represents a similar view of the opposite side of the knife.

Figure 3 represents an edge view of thc knife.

Figure 4 represents asimilar view with the side of the handle containingthe photographs sprung out, so as to allow it to be opened like a blade;and i Figure 5 represents a cross-section of the knife, showing therecess in the handle to receive the photographs.

My invention consists in combining with the handle of a pocket' orpen-knife a miniature photograph case, and in such a constructionv ofthe handle as to conceal the photograph when the handle is closed, andYto exhibit it to View by opening the handle in the same manner as theblade of the knife. In the accompanying drawings the knife representedis of the common form and construction, except that one side of thehandle is made to open and close like a blade.

A represents the back or spring of the knife, B the blade, and C thehandle, consisting of the ,two side pieces, each being composed of anoutside piece, a, and an inside plate, c, riveted to each other in theusual manner. Instead of securing each side of the handle permanently toeach other andthe spring back, I connect one side of the handle only atone end by the rivet which 4secures the blade or blades, as shown infigs. 1 and 2, leaving the other end free to be opened out by turningupon the rivet e as a hinge. The plate c, which forms a part of thisside of the handle, should be made of spring steel, and the rivet e,which secures the handle, should be made strong and with a raised head,as shown in gs. 3 and 4, for the purpose of allowing the movable side ofthe handle to have a certain amount of lateral motion, also at itsdisconnected end, without affecting or weakening its connection with therivet e. In ordersto hold the disconnected end of the handle in placewhen closed, and make it appear as if it was permanently secured in theusual manner, I make a hole, z', fig. 1, in the end of the plate c, intowhich a rivet head, j, tits, and into which it is closely held -by thepower of the springplate c, so as to hold the plate snugly against theback of-the knife, as in g. 3; and'this rivet head is a projec'tion ofthe rivet, which secures the opposite side of the handle, and needproject onlya suicient distance to fit into the hole t', the thicknessof the plate c, so that the lateral motion of the handle to disconnectit from the rivet head or allowit to pass over it in closing the handlewill be too small to affect its connection with the rivet e by which itissecured. rlhis hinged side of the handle forms the casein which theminiature photographs are secured, as shown'in figs. 1 and 5, and forthis purpose the plate c is provided with openings, D, circular or oval,and corresponding therewith; recesses are made in the side piece, c, ofthe handle siliciently deep to receive the thickness of the photographand the thin covering of glass, which, when placed snugly in the recess,are securely held in place by wire-spring rings, s, resting against theglass covering and the edge of the opening, D, in the plate, which formsa shoulder `for that purpose. '.llhus it will be seen that, ,While thehandle of the knife is nia-de to serve the purpose of a photograph-case,wherein `the `miniature pictures ofloved `ones may bc convenientlyplaced and carrie-d, the knife may be used as such without attractingspecial attention, or it maylbecome a popular instrument of curiosity.The style and finish of the inside of the handle which forms the casemay be varied to suit the views of the maker and the cost ofthe knife.The case is finished with the knife, and may be supplied with particularphotographic objects, or the cases may be left so that they can besupplied at pleasure. In opening the case to exhibit the' photographs itis only necessary tovpress the ond outward just far enough so that `therivet-head j will clear.. the hole 1f and then turn the case upon itshinge c, so as to open it in the arc of a circle; and in closing thecase the end must be pressed outward, so as to allowthc rvet-head, j, torest against the plate c, and in turning thc case so as to be insymmetry with the opposite side of the handle, the rivet-head will enterthe hole i and the spring of the plate c will cause it to 'it snuglyagainst thc back of the knife, as in g. 3. Various modiiications Vmay bemade in the construction of mms 2 the knife so as to adapt it to thepurpose of a miniature photograph-case, but as these will appear obviousto those skilled` in the manufacture of the article, I deem itunnecessary to describe such changes of construction and arrangement asmay embody the same invention. It is obvious also that thc photographsmay be secured in the outside of the handle of the knife, instead of outhe inside, and the spirit of the invention preserved.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, is-

Alknife-handle in two parts, connected one to the other and to theblade, and otherwise constructed substantially as described. Y

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set vmy hand and seal this 6th dayof March, 1866.

ROYAL B. MILLIKEN. [SEAL] Witnesses:

J. W. BARNAGLO, JNO. JOHNSON.

